GOACAN has expressed concerns regarding the increase in fire incidents and has written to the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services calls for District Action Plan for Fire Safety in 2024-25.
GOACAN has written to the DFES on the eve of National Fire Service Day 14th April and Fire Service Week 14th to 20th April, GOACAN has expressed concern about the increase in fire incidents and called for a District Action Plan for Fire Safety in 2024-25 involving local bodies & civil society organisations.
In a letter to Shri. Nitin V. Raiker, Director of Fire & Emergency Services, GOACAN has pointed out that there has been an increase in fire incidents occurring all over Goa with unprecedented frequency and have covered agricultural farms, forests, waste dumps, small shops, apartments and even vehicles.
“These fire incidents we have noted not only caused huge losses to families on the financial front but have also resulted in mental stress & prolonged anxiety. While we understand that many of these fire incidents could have been prevented, we have received feedback that in most of these cases the persons & families involved had not put in place a ‘Fire Safety Protection & Prevention Plan’ for their places of work & business or homes. Moreover, the fire incidents in factory sheds located in different parts of Goa is also a matter of great concern as the loss is not only to production but a great setback for the workers & managements of these establishments” the GOACAN letter states.
Given this scenario and keeping in mind the observation of National Fire Service Week from 14th to 20th April 2024, GOACAN in its letter to the DFES has made the following suggestions:-
The DFES may draw up a 2024-2025 year-long focused Fire Safety Action Plan at the District level, for which various stakeholders can be drawn into participation in the protection & prevention plan. The same can be undertaken by setting up a Co-ordination Committee to plan & implement the same. The Committee could be headed by the respective District Collector and the District Fire Safety meetings could be held once every six months effectively covering the summer season, monsoons and winter. The members of the Committee could consist of representatives of Zilla Panchayats, Municipal Councils, Village Panchayats, GCCI, TTAG, GSIA, GOA IDC, KTCL, Bus Owners Association, Merchants Associations, Banks, Housing Societies, Consumer Forums, Self Help Groups etc.
After seeing the success of the District level action plan and the functioning of the District level Co-ordination Committee, the DFES may then consider an action plan at the Taluka level with a similar kind of Co-ordination Committee chaired by the Deputy Collector & SDM for the year 2025-2026
Need for DFES to hold stakeholder sensitisation programs on fire safety in collaboration with the allied Departments. Example for farmers & horticulturists with the Directorate of Agriculture, for Factory owners & Business establishments with the Directorate of Industries, Trade & Commerce & Goa IDC and for Housing Societies & general consumers with the Department of Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs.
As the DFES has already in place a good scheme for Volunteers to be trained and a vehicle for awareness programs, the District Co-ordination Committee could act as a support to popularize these two programs at the District level.
Copies of the GOACAN letter have been sent to the Chief Secretary, Consumer Affairs Secretary, respective District Collectors, DGP Goa Police, Managing Director Goa IDC, Department Directors of Urban Development, Panchayats, Agriculture, Tourism, Industries, Trade & Commerce, Transport and Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs.
